Badsey Society Newsletter No 30, October 2009

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Quarterly Badsey Society newsletter sent to members. Events: stand at Badsey Flower Show was popular again. Mandy Davies enquired about Arthur “Badsey” Davies a skilled maker of corn dollies from Badsey and referred to in 1979 WI Home Skills’ Guide. The only Arthur Davies we knew about was Arthur Edward Davies, father of Badsey District Nurse Rosalind Davies. We enquired if anyone knew whether that Arthur was a corn dolly maker. Twelve members attended at Evesham Library Local Studies Section where Lesley O’Connell Edwards, Librarian, showed us books and maps about Badsey and Aldington. Future events: AGM followed by talk by Valerie Magan about arrival of Badsey’s water supply; talk by Eve Miles from Earth Heritage Trust about new Geopark Way; Whit Walk; Badsey Flower Show and chance to see donations to Badsey Archive. Some members attended Blackminster School’s 70th birthday celebrations including John and June Bird, former pupil Muriel Morcombe (nee Bird) and Wendy Beasley (nee Tomkins) with her granddaughter Zoe Hundley and friend Eunice Shorthouse (nee Hall). Paul and Helen Green’s house “The Haven” in Badsey Fields Lane celebrated its 100th birthday. “The Haven” was built by the same builder as Ian and Lynn Gibson’s property “Cherry House” from proceeds of sale of Badsey Manor House after death of Edward Wilson. Edward’s son Edward built Cherry House and Emma, Edward Junior’s fourth wife and widow, had The Haven built on land which her brother Joseph Knight owned in Badsey Fields Lane. Richard Phillips and Lizzie Noyes, owners of the Manor House, had an unexpected visitor Margaret Poole. Margaret and daughter had visited the Vale to try to find place she had lived in 70 years ago. Her father, Sam Thornhill, was soldier evacuated from Dunkirk and stayed in village to recuperate. During summer of 1940 hundreds of evacuated soldiers arrived in Badsey and some stayed for several months. Margaret recalled families from all over the country staying in Badsey Manor house, she remembered Dick and Irene and George Donkin and Wakefield family from Walthamstow. Request was made for nominations for second annual Tony Jerram Award. Finally Mick Taylor has written a booklet “Minty’s Tales” about his reminiscences of growing up in Aldington. Committee members: Mike Lovatt (Chairman), Maureen Spinks (Secretary), Terry Sparrow (Treasurer), Will Dallimore, Ian Gibson, Jane Neill, Richard Phillips, Neil Thould.